Population 1,001-5,000 Category | City of Isle of Palms

Page Summary

Staff Contact:

None

Page Content

​Doggy Day at the Rec

During the summer, tourists flock to Isle of Palms to enjoy the surf and sandy beaches. There is no shortage of activities for residents and visitors to enjoy. However, during the off-season, city officials are always on the lookout for fun, family-focused activities to engage residents and visitors.

The Isle of Palms has long been a popular spot for residents and visitors to walk their dogs, especially after the city established special off-leash hours during the off-season for furry beach-goers. The city-run dog park has also been wildly popular.

Doggy Day at the Rec came about as a new way for the city to give canine residents and their owners even more chances to interact. Doggy Day brings together the city’s animal control staff with the community and their precious pups.

Island dogs and out-of-town pups are invited to compete in creative categories like “Most Ear’Resistable,” “Best Smile” and “Best Costume.” Audience members answer dog-related trivia questions for prizes and interact with community animal organizations.

While highly entertaining, the event is inexpensive for the city and relatively simple to plan with the help of sponsors and the public. The minimal budget covers goodie bags for participants, promotional materials for the event, and a photo booth for owners and pets.

Most importantly, Doggy Day provides pet owners with the opportunity to register their dogs with the city and to vaccinate their dogs against rabies. Animal welfare groups are also on hand to promote rescue and adoption.

Not surprisingly, combining city services with the chance to watch Isle of Palms’ cutest strut their stuff has made Doggy Days one of the city’s most popular events of the year. In the future, city officials plan to include participation from military dogs, search and rescue dogs, K-9 units and service dogs.